On New Year’s Day 1917, a new legislation concerning increased number of ministers in the Icelandic government was cabled to the Danish king who ratified it the next day. Until that time Iceland had had only one minister, Hannes Hafsteinn, but now they were three, Jon Magnusson, Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, Sigurdur Jonsson, Minister of Labour and Björn Kristjánsson Minister of Finance. Sigurdur Eggerz took office as Finance Minister later in 1917.